Dienhart to host town hall tomorrow

Fri, 03/22/2013 - 10:42amJohn Munford

Peachtree City Councilman George Dienhart will host a town hall meeting for residents at City Hall beginning at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 22.

Dienhart said he expects topics to include the proposed curb cut from a proposed commercial development to Planterra Way along with the 2014 budget. The meeting will be held in the community room downstairs.

The curb cut has riled the feathers of some homeowners in the Planterra Ridge and Cardiff Park subdivisions, as they are concerned about traffic flooding the existing traffic light at Planterra Way and Ga. Highway 54. Homeowners are also worried about the potential for a further increase in cut-through traffic.

Comments

A curb cut and the budget don't appear to be that important to call for a town hall meeting the following day. Seems a little hasty don't you think. Show us that you plan ahead and don't need to react like this councilman.

This was scheduled prior to our council meeting. We'll probably do another prior to any vote on the curb cut, and another 2 prior to the budget. I'll post the schedule at my website. Unless the Planterra issue comes up for a vote at the next council meeting, these will continue every 4 to 6 weeks until we have a budget. The town hall was scheduled prior to the curb cut becoming an issue.

Husband, you are correct. This is not an issue just for Planterra or Cardiff. That was a big part of the issues back in 2008 and 2009.

As already noted in news articles, at the last Planning Commission Meeting, if this is going to go before Council I would call for a Workshop on the proposals not only for a curb cut but another traffic light. The City Manager has already been notified. This will not go to a vote without a dedicated public hearing for all of Peachtree City.

If you want history and public opinion on the connection to Planterra Way and the traffic light, pull back the Planning Commission and Council Meetings from 2008 and 2009. There are a lot of minutes on the topics. Also pull back old Citizen articles.

PTC residents were extremely opposed to both, with the curb cut being dropped from the proposal, but not the light. I received over 600 emails in opposition to the light.

Councilwoman Learnard, on her own, worked with the developer on the Memorandum of Understanding that included a traffic light but no connection. I said it had some good things in it but I would not vote for a traffic light.

Yet again an Agenda Items presented without inclusion of all on Council or the public.

Now, the developer wants to change the MOU to include the connection to Planterra Way. At the Planning Commission meeting a list of the negative impacts of the light were given, all accurate. The impacts of the connection, plus some legal and other details were also given, all accurate.

The developer can continue to develop the property without the light or curb cut. No official announcement of targeted stores has been made. So, just like with 2008 all that has been requested to date is square footage.

Bottom line is this is not a new set of issues. So much public input has been made on the light and connection what else is there to gain? My positions and votes on these things have been a matter of record since 2008. But there will be a Workshop to listen.

As for the Budget, we have not even held the Retreat yet. Several sets of data from different sources will be presented that should have an impact on planning. I hope as many citizens as possible will attend.

Councilman Dienhart can call for town hall meetings. He has the right.

I appreciate the history. I don't know much about the development, but I do not want to see any more traffic lights if possibly. I wouldn't want to live or travel that area on a regular basis due to the stupid drivers that clog the intersections now. However if the developer has something unique to propose and requires a light, I would listen and reconsider.

True, Councilman Dienhart has ever right to hold a town hall meeting. I only wish it had been advertised sooner. I read about it too late to change my plans and attend. I would like to hear what each councilman and woman has to say on the budget as I would like to comment at some point on issues important to me and the growth of our city.

his predecessor and I don't think he will mismanage rezonings like the Norwest thing. Chances are he will conduct the meetings in a professional manner (as he did before) and help newly elected councilpeople get acclimitized. Might not be a bad thing at all. Could do worse.

Dang thats like putting the patients in charge of the asylum, good grief made me just about soil my boxers,come on one of you level headed guys to to get out and run, but now I have all the more reason to sell my house...

He seems to have a great grasp on the budget. He understands we need to fill in and redevelop- some interesting ideas about the Huddleston industrial area and what to do with it. He also seems to understand that we need young people in town to grow the city.

Wow, a council member allegedly using common sense and addressing budgeting, redevelopment, and attracting young residents - he may be the only keeper come election time. But then it could just be a political ploy.